Clippers beat Hornets easily, Harden led the victory with 31 points

On March 17, the NBA regular season ushered in a focus matchup, the Los Angeles Clippers played against the Charlotte Hornets at home. Although the Hornets resisted tenaciously, the Clippers controlled the rhythm of the game in the fourth quarter under the obvious overall strength gap, and finally won the opponent 123-88 . Harden scored 31 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists in this game , becoming the most outstanding player in the game. For the Hornets, Ma Wei also contributed 18 points and 15 rebounds, but the team's overall offense was weak and finally suffered a miserable defeat .

In the first quarter, the Clippers quickly got into the game, scoring 32 points in a single quarter, while the Hornets struggled against the Clippers' defense and only scored 21 points. The Clippers took an 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter. Entering the second quarter, the Clippers continued to put pressure on the Hornets, scoring another 33 points in a single quarter, while the Hornets still had a cold hand and only scored 20 points. At the end of the half, the Clippers were already leading the Hornets by a large margin of 65-41, and the game entered the edge of garbage time early.

After the change of sides, the Hornets tried to catch up, but the Clippers still firmly controlled the rhythm and scored 30 points in the third quarter. Although the Hornets improved slightly, they still failed to break the 30-point mark. Entering the final quarter, the Clippers continued to play steadily, adding 28 points in a single quarter, and finally won easily with 123-88, winning a duel without suspense.

In this game, Harden showed his all-around skills. He played for 31 minutes and 24 seconds, shot 9 of 15, 4 of 7 three-pointers, and 9 of 9 free throws, scoring 31 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals efficiently, with a plus-minus value of +36. He was the absolute core of the Clippers' victory. Leonard also contributed 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Zubac played well in the interior, scoring 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists, just one step away from a triple-double.

For the Hornets, Ma Wei became the only bright spot of the team. He made 9 of 15 shots, scored 18 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists efficiently, almost supporting the team's inside line. However, the star player LaMelo Ball performed poorly, making only 5 of 18 shots, scoring 16 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists, with a plus-minus value of -34, and it was difficult for him to lead the team to reverse the game.

In this game, the Clippers took the initiative from beginning to end, showing their championship-level dominance, especially Harden's performance was eye-catching. With Powell's return, the Clippers' lineup is more complete, and their competitiveness in the playoff sprint stage cannot be underestimated.

As for the Hornets, the team is plagued by injuries and their overall combat effectiveness is limited. Although Ma Wei played well, the team lacks a stable scoring point. If they want to make a breakthrough in the next game, they need to adjust their lineup, improve their offensive efficiency, and avoid repeating the same mistakes.